For those who don't have the time to devote to those addicting match-3 games, Tonypa may have found the perfect alternative. At 66% size of most match-3 games, Pushori pares things down to a much more simplified match-2 concept.

The objective of each level is to clear pairs from each of the squares making up the 3x3 grid, at least once. To do this, slide the tiles onto the grid from either the left or right side of the board. The tiles will move as far as they can along the row. If there's an open space on the opposite side of a tile in a row, the newly placed tile will push the entire row to the edge. If (at least) two matching tiles end up vertically adjacent to each other (horizontally doesn't count), they'll be cleared from the board, and the background in those squares will turn gray. When all nine squares are turned gray, you advance to the next level where another new tile is added to the mix.

Analysis: Pushori is a refreshing and simple new puzzle game from a game designer who has a knack for creating simply refreshing new ideas. However, notable flaws in this one include: 1) when a tile occupies a square, you can't tell whether it has been cleared, but then again, there are only nine squares, so it shouldn't be too hard to remember; and 2) it is possible, by the nature of the random tile selector, to have absolutely no possible pairs, by putting nine different tiles on the board. Thus, shooting for a high score does rely slightly on luck, as your game could end abruptly, even with perfect strategy.

Regardless, Pushori brings another (compact) twist to a well-populated genre, in a relaxing and colorful game. The latin music seems to compliment Pushori's laid-back style well, as you have all the time in the world to plan out your next move. Please enjoy this game with a mug of hot chocolate or other heated flavored beverage of your choosing.

35 Comments

Yeah. It's hard to stop. Great game. Addicting. I usually don't stick with Tonypa games, and grow bored of them quickly, but this one has me hooked. It's like gambling. You keep thinking you can do better next time, so you keep at it, and meanwhile your soul dies a little bit each time as you sell yourself to the monster that is Highscoreasaurus.

My first thought upon seeing this was: Ununicum. Of course Pushori is different from Ununicum in a number of ways, but it still reminds me of it--which is actually a good thing because Ununicum is my favorite Tonypa game of all time.

I like Pushori as well: simple yet challenging, and it shares one key trait with Ununicum--if your mind wanders for even a moment, you can find yourself in dire straits pretty quickly. If there is a difference between the two games (besides the obvious differences, of course), I think it would be that Pushori gets more difficult more quickly as more piece types are introduced. Ununicum is more of a test of endurance, but you can very quickly get to a point in Pushori where there is no possible way to continue playing. This point seems to come fairly soon, too, so Pushori games don't quite last as long, and there isn't really the same kind of "zone" feeling as in Ununicum. So Ununicum is still my favorite, but I like Pushori as well. Great music, too!

And since I know that Tonypa reads the comments here, I want to say something that's been on my mind for a really long time: both Ununicum and Pushori (not to mention other games as well) are simple enough in style and control scheme that they would make great iPod (5th gen) games. Is there any chance that we might see iPod versions of some Tonypa games in the future (especially Ununicum, please please please please please with sugar on top)? I would pay for these without batting an eyelash, and I'm sure others would, too.

Sorry if that last bit was off topic, but it's been on my mind for a long time...

MdB: Thanks, I like your idea about clearing board when all 9 tiles are different, let me think about it and hopefully add with next update.

SonicLover: mmmm, Snapushirum... The image of that game is already taking shape in my mind :)

Suho1004: Flash is only program I know well enough to make games, plus all those Apples' iThings require Mac to develop. Doubt I am able to convert any games myself. If you can write iStuff code or know someone who would be interested, please contact me and maybe we can make something together.

or it would be nice if once you have a certain amount of different tiles you could see more than one tile ahead. otherwise you can get to a point where you're just guessing where to put a tile and hoping that the next one can be placed somewhere that can clear something. if you could see farther ahead you could plan things better.

Very addicting! :D
There are only two issues: there's a chance of 9 consecutive different pieces pop in (which means you'll loose and there's nothing you can do). And the other is the time it takes for you to start another game! Most of the time I don't want to go to the records.

@Jay
that actually just occurred to me on my most recent play. which was one of my worst. died on level 4.
playing in a way to avoid going up levels seems somewhat counter intuitive to me.
i mean, Tonypa is the expert here, but i'd be interested in a game like this without points, where the objective is just to reach as high a level as possible, and where you could see several upcoming pieces to allow for more planning.

actually, as i write that, i'm not sure i'd actually enjoy that game more. i don't really like games that need me to plan my moves so carefully. on a board this small it would be okay though.

oh and as long as i'm making totally unsolicited comments about things i'd like to be slightly different about this game, it would be nice if it were possible to tell whether a square was grey or white even if a piece is on it.

though i recognize that may be an intentional design decision to increase the challenge. if so, cool.

Hey, Tony updated the game! I wonder why he decided to change it so that the board clears instantly when you level up. I can get some really good scores now that "death by unavoidable gridlock" has been eliminated, though. I just got second place!

I thought the prize for leveling up in the form of points was not worth the trouble that you had to deal with extra tile type. So, you now get clean board to start with every time you level up. And, if the board is full with every piece different, it just clears the board (no bonus points for that).

My problem with this game, as with all of tonypa's games, is that you have to restart after every game over. i remember playing yalpeyalper and having to start from the beginning of the game every time i messed up. this time, i have to wait for the game to re-load and view the sponsor ad every time i lose. tonypa's games are interesting, but this feature alone makes me never spend more than a minute or so with the games, before i close the browser, uninterested.

and tonypa, as per soniclover's comment, you might want to call your next game 'Snapushirum'.

I was lucky enough to get to play a pre-release version of Pushori. And I've got to say that I like the current version even better. Clearing the field if it fills with different tiles allows the game to last longer, and it's every bit as challenging as the earlier version, if not more so.

I would still like to see the tile borders change color if they are on a background that has already been cleared but it doesn't seem to be as important to me now as when I first played the pre-release version.

The colorful tiles and great background music are sweet icing on the tasty cake.

JohnnyCaps: I understand that the ads can be slightly annoying, but I see them as a (very) small price to pay for some brilliant games. While I'm sure Tonypa designs games because he loves doing so, it is also only fair that he be compensated for the time and energy he puts into his games. If that means waiting ten seconds between games, I'll do that.

As for the new version of the game, I just got a personal best of over 4,000 points. No, it's not much compared to the high scores, but it was a nice little victory for me making it all the way up to level 11. There is still an element of chance, of course, but I honestly think the game would be less interesting if there wasn't a chance that you might get caught out no matter how well you plan ahead. I was just starting to think, as I reached level 11, that it was actually becoming easier to get nine different blocks on the board at once, when I suddenly got a match for an unreachable block. Heh, so much for that theory.

Anyway, I like the improvements. I think they add a lot to the game--which I'm starting to like more the more I play it.

very addictive game. i think if you use the right strategy, you can avoid almost every possible way for you to be killed "by no fault of your own". i've only been up to level 14, but i've only been killed by accidentally clicking in the wrong place.

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